Rendering appliance



Dec. 3, 1929. v A, SPOONER 1,737,738

RENDERING APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 21, 1927 Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES ALBERT C. SPOONER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS RENDERING APPLIANCE Application filed November 21, 1927. Serial No. 234,654.

My invention relates to appliances or types of apparatus for rendering bodies or mixtures of miscellaneous materials, whereby to melt or try out the greases and supply them for various uses, such as the manufacture of soap.

In fat and grease rendering tanks of the usual, present-day construction, perforated, false bottoms are used for supporting the heterogeneous materials undergoing treat-- ment, and, due to the heat and weight to which such plates are subjected, they be come deformed and are a source of expense on account of the labor required to keep them in reasonably good working condition. One object of the new invention is to avoid the use of such plates.

The present, improved structure is of greater capacity than the old' appliances, it

operates more efiiciently, effectively and economically, the grease produced is in better condition, the tankage is in such a state that it may be pressed to better advantage, and the'tank as a whole has a longer, useful life.

To the accomplishment of these and other desirable objects, I have devised the present preferred embodiment of the invention, illus trated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in the views of which like reference characters have been employed to designate the same parts.

In this drawing,

Fig. 1 is an upright section through the rendering tank, on the line 11 of Fig. 2; and

h Fig.2 is a of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, it. will be perceived that the apparatus includes a suitablysupported, upright, cylindrical tank or receptacle 11 having a manhole 12 in its top wall by means of which the tank may be charged or filled with the mixture of diversified and promiscuous materials, such as garbage, to undergo the steam treatment, such top of the tank having a vent pipe 13 equipped witha suitable controlling valve 14.

-- vAt about two-thirds of its height, or any other appropriate point, the side wall of the horizontal section on line 2 2 tank has a drain pipe 15, also supplied with a valve 16.

The side wall of the tank, near its bottom,

has a door 17, and. the bottom wall of the receptacle is furnished with a drain pipe 18 as a whole may be compared to three circular,

concentric pipes connected together by the manifolds, which supply steam under pres, sure to them, such elements 21, 21 receiving their steam through a'pai'r of'pipes- 25, 25

communicating with a convenient boiler or steam generator, not shown, the pipes being equipped with suitable control valves. The three circular pipes have small nozzles 26, 26 which direct all of the issuing steam jets to about the same central point of and on the axis of the tank, thus providing a plurality of concentric cones of steam with an approximate common apex at the point where the jets converge.

The appliance'is operated substantially as follows: I

A suitable quantity of the garbage or other material to under go treatment in the apparatus is introduced into the tank through the top manhole, and a relaively small quantity of water added thereto.

Vent valve llis almost closed, and valves 16 and 19 are fully shut, but the valves in the steam-supply pipes 25, 25 are opened, so

that steam under substantial pressure is discharged from the converging nozzles.

These upwardly-directed j et-s of steam liquefy those constituents in the garbage con tents capable of being brought to a liquid con dition, and the body of garbage gradually descends as its lower section is thus progressively out off or removed, the heated liquids being projected to the center of the tank and rising therethrough, while the colder con- That is to say, the jets of steam progressively remove the undersections of the mixture, melting those parts capable of such treatment and center of the tank, in this manner keeping the hot contents more or less away from the tank wall, and thus'prolonging'its life, since otherwise it is subject to corrosion by reason of the acids present.

In view of the tunctioning of these steam jets, a lesser quantity of water may be used in the tank than has heretofore been cuetomary, with a resulting economy in steam consumption.

After the circulation of the contents of the tank has been established and they become iully heated, the steam, instead of being more or less quickly condensed, creates a pressure in the top of the tank, thereby automatically causing the steam issuing from the nozzles to percolate directly upwardly through the material rather than be projected in the proviou's cone tormation.

Thus the circulationof the contents ceases and they become cooked by the steam, thereby permitting the fats and grease to accumulate in the top of the tank without becoming fouled by the other constituents of the min ture.

After the contents of the receptacle have under one this treatment tor an adequate period of time, the steam supply is-shut off, the valve 16 is opened to drain off the molten fats and greases from the top portion of the tank, the liquid remainder is drained off through pipe 18 by opening valve 19, and the solid residue is removedfrom the tank through the door 17 and pressed or squeezed to express the entrapped fats and greases, it being desirable to leave a sufficient quantity of such residue to cover the steam distributor,

thus affording a blanket protecting the latter in some degree from the acids pres'ei'it in the tank during its operation.

Among the advantages which maybe mentioned, resulting from the use of the improved appliance, is the saving of steam requirec because no great quantity (if wat r is needed to assist in establishing the initial circulation of the contents of the tank. 7

Owingto the efficiency of action of the new apparatus, a greater quantity of material ay bet-rested in the tank has heretodirecting them all toward the fore been usual, due to the lesser quantity of Water'employed, the actual reduction in water used representing an operating saving.

Owing to the manner in which the im proved appliance functions, there is no loss k of heat occasioned by blow holes through the mixture, which, under such circumstances, does not circulate properly or to the best ad vantage.

In the present appliance the greatest motion of the bodies constituting the mixture and the most intense heat occur at the center of the tank, that is, at a point farthest from the metal sheets, thus protecting the latter, While a relatively-gentle, downward movement and comparatively-moderate heat occur along the upright,'metal Wall of the tank.

Inasmuch as the first or initial circulation of the relatively-solid material is comparatively quickly established by this novel appli ance, the whole treatment of the material can be performed in a less time than has been common practice. I

The tank'age is cooked to a condition re sembling sawdust, making it capable of easy handling, and it presses with facility because it is not substantiallygummy, thus resulting in a saving in the press sack material or press cloths.

In short, it may stated that one of the prime purposes of the steam distributorin the form and style employed is to produce a relatively quick and complete circulation of the material undergoing treatment with a minimum amount of water, with a maximum efficiency, and with alittle wear and tear on the apparatus as possible. 7

Various minor, mechanical changes may be incorporated in the structure described without departure from the heart and essence of the invention as defined by theappended claims, and without the loss or sacrifice-of any of its material benefits and advantages.

I claim:

1. In a rendering appliance, the combination of a tank, a hollow member in the lower portion of said tank, delivery nozzles for said member having inwardly upwardly directed discharge openings aimed at substantially the same point, and means to'admit steam under pressure into said member for discharge from said member through said nozzle openings in the form of jets converging to said point. j

2. In a rendering appliance, the combination of a tank, hollow means in the lower portion of said tank, a set of delivery nozzles for said hollow means, a second set of delivery nozzles for said hollow means located nearer to the center axis of the tank than said first set of nozzles,'all of said nozzles havi'ng' inwardly upwardly directed discharge openings aimed at substantially the same point, and means to admit steam under pressure intoxsaid member for discharge from said member through all of said nozzle openings in the form of two sets of jets converging to said point.

3. In a rendering appliance, the combination of a tank, a circular pipe in the lower portion of said tank, delivery nozzles for said pipe having inwardly upwardly directed discharge openings aimed at substantially the same point, and means to admit steam under pressure into said pipe for discharge from said pipe through said nozzle openings in the form of a cone of jets converging to said point.

4:- In a rendering appliance, the combination ofa tank, a plurality of concentrically arranged circular pipes in the lower portion of said tank, delivery nozzles for said pipes, all of said nozzles having inwardly upwardly directed discharge openings aimed at substantially the same point, and means to admit steam into said pipes for discharge from said pipes through said nozzles in substantially the form of concentric cones of steam having a common apex.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT C. SPOONER. 

